Manson family member Leslie Van Houten has parole denied for 19th time

Leslie Van Houten, the one-time follower of convicted serial killer
Charles Manson has been denied parole for the 19th time.

Described by authorities as a model prisoner she has long seen as the most likely of the Manson family
to win freedom someday.

At the
conclusion of the emotional three-hour hearing on Tuesday, the chairman
of the parole board, Robert Doyle, said Van Houten was not yet suitable
for parole because she had failed to gain complete insight into her
crime and its motivation.

Leslie Van Houten is sworn in at her parole hearing yesterday. She turned away from cameras as she did not wish her face to be shown during the hearing

Leslie Van Houten (left) at the time of her trial when was 19 and (right) on hearing parole had been denied eight years ago

While commending her for her adjustment to
prison and her work on behalf of other prisoners, Doyle and deputy
commissioner Carol Bentley said the crimes involved were so atrocious
and heinous that they must be considered in the decision.

'She
does not look at herself to see what made her capable of this
activity,' Doyle said. Both he and Bentley said they were disappointed
that Van Houten chose not to speak to them directly.

'It's been 15 years since I've seen you,' Bentley said, 'and commissioner Doyle has never heard from you.'

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However,
he said the concerns for public safety are not sufficient to give her a
10- or 15-year denial. He scheduled another hearing in three years.

Van Houten, who last appeared before a parole board in 2007, showed no response to the decision and was taken back to her cell.

During
the hearing, she read a statement apologizing to the family of Leno and
Rosemary La Bianca 'for the pain I caused' and saying she understood
their grief. She gave them a private written apology.

She said she
understood the enormity of her crime and makes no excuses for her
actions. She said she has gained insight during her 41 years in prison
that is helping her to understand 'so it does not happen again.'

Louis
Smaldino, a member of the La Bianca family, spoke during the hearing of
the unending anguish they have experienced and suggested that Van
Houten should have been executed. He urged the board to keep her in
prison and deny another parole hearing for as long as possible.

'Miss Van Houten is a murdering terrorist, and her character does not change,' he said.

Debra
Tate, sister of the slain Sharon Tate, whose killing is not involved in
this case, appeared on behalf of another La Bianca family member,
Angela Smaldino. Tate said Smaldino believes Van Houten should be
commended for her growth but thinks her behavior would be unpredictable
in a changed world.

'There
is
nothing in the record that suggests her dangerousness,' she said. 'You
have a record before you of reform and rehabilitation. People can
and do change.'

Devall also asked the panel to consider Van Houten's
age - 19 - when she joined in the La Bianca killings. She noted Van
Houten came under the influence of Manson, 'who had a knack for finding
lost young people and manipulating them.'

Devall quoted one of the
original prosecutors in the case, Stephen Kay, who said in 1980 that
Van Houten would be suitable for parole someday.

'We now have three decades more,' she said. 'There is no need for more time to observe Miss Van Houten.'

However,
Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Patrick Sequeira recounted the
murders' savagery and urged the panel not to accept the idea that
Manson was responsible and Houten was not.

'It's been said he turned
people into mindless robots,' Sequeira said of Manson. 'But there were
people in the commune who did not participate in the murders.'

He noted that Van Houten chose not to answer questions of the panel at the hearing.

'Nevertheless,
the real question that arises is who does this? Who joins this group
after hearing the news of what happened at the Tate residence the night
before?' Sequeira asked.

Arguing for her continued incarceration, he
said, 'There's just something about this woman, something about her
that led her to cross a very heavy line and become involved in these
brutal, savage murders.'

Devall responded that current case law
suggests the panel should look at 'who the person is sitting before you
today,' and not base its entire decision on the crimes.

After the hearing, Devall said she will probably appeal the ruling.

Asked
why Van Houten chose not to speak to the panel, Devall said 'There's
nothing new for her to add. She has said it all. This time the court
won't be able to use her words against her.'

Sequeira said he was pleased with the decision and felt Van Houten had not taken full responsibility for her crimes.

'She
makes herself out to be a victim rather than a full participant ... I'd
like her to tell the truth about what she did,' Sequeira said.

Among
those attending Tuesday's hearing was Barbara Hoyt, a former Manson
family member, who said she had not seen Van Houten in 40 years.

'I hope my coming here stumped her a little bit,' Hoyt said.

Hoyt said if she had not seen pictures of the older Van Houten, she would never have recognized her.

Van
Houten was convicted of murder and conspiracy for her role in the
slayings of the La Biancas, who were wealthy grocers. They were stabbed
to death in August 1969, one night after Manson's followers killed
actress Sharon Tate and four others.

Van Houten did not participate
in the Tate killings but went along the next night when the La Biancas
were slain in their home. During the penalty phase of her trial, she
confessed to joining in stabbing Mrs. La Bianca after she was dead.

The
Tate-La Bianca killings became one of the most notorious murder cases
of the 20th Century and continues to rivet public attention 41 years
later.

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Manson family member Leslie Van Houten has parole denied for 19th time